At Peace
by breathoffreshair
Summary: [RM, FF] Sometimes, it's okay to cry. Especially when your best friend is dead. Sometimes the one you love is your shoulder to cry on.


At Peace

A/N:- I love the angst. I love the romance. Therefore I present to you an Angst/Romance. Could possibly be called a Romangst. I donno. But I do know that I put a lot of effort into this so I would appreciate it hugely if you could review or even just leave a tiny weeny comment, whatever. Anything :D Most likely a one-shot.

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Summer Roberts was a good friend. Everyone knew that. Marissa knew it the most. Summer had been through it all with her. Pre-school. Elementary. Middle School. Junior High. High School…College. The fights, the break-ups, the getting-back togethers of various relationships. The aimless shopping trips and parties which had consumed their weekends pre-Seth and Ryan. After all, they were best friends. People had come to learn that you couldn't just invite Summer to a party, Marissa had to come too. And vice versa, Marissa and Summer came as a package deal . Summer would've loved to have Marissa as her sister, and Marissa would have too considering Kaitlin was a bitch. Of course, even they had their fair share of arguments. But that didn't matter anymore. Everything was at peace.

She wondered if it had been the same for her. In, out. Quick, easy. Painless almost. A small price to pay when you considered the effects it would have on people. People obviously meaning her. Seth too. Maybe even Ryan. For her sake, Marissa hoped that it had been. If she couldn't go back and prevent it, that was the best she could do. Marissa didn't mean to sound selfish, but then again, if she did, she didn't care. Apologies weren't something she felt required to give.

Brushing the dirt from her faded blue jeans, she got up from the ground, looking around to check the person who was waiting was still there. Marissa walked with no regret now, there was no burden on her shoulders. Her demons were at peace. In the past she would have laughed at herself for making such comments but now she could have never thought of anything more true. She smiled as he came into focus, arm stretched out, waiting for her. The most steady thing in her rocky, turbulent life. She took his hand, intertwining it with hers as she felt his arm wrap around her waist. The two walked out of the cemetery together. Never looking back. That part of her life was over now. Summer Roberts was at peace.

* * *

Marissa remembered when she had got the news. It had been a normal Friday night, her, Ryan, some popcorn and a DVD in their apartment. Even though they were only nearing college, the summer before they had both turned 20, and got married. The night had been just after Finals, everyone was exhausted but happy, around campus, yet you could still hear parties going on until the a.m. When her phone rang she was surprised as no-one normally rang her this late on a Friday, especially not an Unknown number. Ryan had told her just to turn it off, but she had just laughed at him and answered it teasingly anyway. She would come to regret it. The confused look on her face quickly turned to shock as she processed the information. Ryan had looked at her questioningly, holding her hand and squeezing it gently as he had watched a single tear drop down her now pale face. A collision with a 18-wheeler on the highway, she was on her way to Seth's. She was killed instantly. There was nothing that the paramedics could do. But their apologies weren't heard as Marissa collapsed into Ryan's arms sobbing.

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_Two Years Later_

The two rings on her left hand glinted in the sunlight as Marissa smiled to herself. Ryan was gonna be home any minute. Sure enough, she heard the front door open and then shut as Ryan entered the apartment.

"I'm home!" His happy voice rung throughout the apartment as she jumped up to greet him when he came in to the room.

"Hey baby." She said hello as he took her in his arms and smiled as he kissed her.

"So, I have something for you." Ryan pulled away and smiled as he brought a bag from behind his back. Marissa's face broke into another smile as she took it from him and thanked him by placing a kiss on his cheek. She felt his hands securely wrap around her waist resting on her stomach as she opened it smiling again.

"Ryan, it's so cute!" Marissa help up the soft, fleecy bobble hat that Ryan had purchased during his lunch break.

"Mmhm." He nuzzled his face into her neck as he kissed it gently. "Only the cutest for our baby girl." Marissa put the back down on to the table and turned around and kissed him. He sat himself down on their sofa, pulling her with him,. She wrapped her arms around his chest, loosening his tie.

"Good day at work?" Marissa asked as he found her hands and intertwined them with his again.

"It was okay." He replied. "Better knowing I was coming home to you." Marisa laughed an pushed him playfully.

"You're such a softie, Ry!"

"Yeah, yeah." Ryan laughed it off jokingly as they lay contentedly in each other's arms, silent for a moment.

"Ryan?" Marissa propped herself up on his chest.

"Hmm?" He answered absent-mindedly, softly stroking her hair.

"I thought of a name." Marissa said, nervously as Ryan looked up. His face broke into a smile and her nervousness melted away.

"That's great!" Ryan replied. "I've been thinking too, but I haven't come up with anything perfect."

"Well, I'd totally understand if you don't want to…" She broke off, looking back down again.

"Go on…" Ryan urged her on gently. Marissa stared at him for a few moments before just saying it.

"Summer." Ryan stared back at her for a moment, his eyes searching hers intently.

"Are you sure?" He asked softly. Marissa nodded, and he smiled, but then she shook her head.

"It's stupid." She replied, sighing regretfully as she buried her head in his chest.

"Hey…" Ryan tilted her head up. "It's perfect." Marissa smiled, leaning in to kiss him, her lips lingering on his for several moments.

"She would have liked it." Marissa said quietly. Ryan's eyes flickered towards their mantelpiece, to their high school graduation picture, Seth, Summer, Marissa and him throwing their hats in the air, then over to one of their wedding pictures, Marissa laughing in his arms as he kissed her, with Summer in her bridesmaid dress standing in the background smiling. His gaze met Marissa's as he realised she was looking at the picture too.

"Yeah, she would've." Ryan pressed his lips into his wife's hair briefly, as he felt her tears soak onto his shirt.

"Marissa, it's okay to cry." He said, looking down at her as she wiped her eyes. She nodded through her tears, settling back into his arms.

"Ryan, I love you."

"I love you too." He replied back without hesitation, placing a hand back on her growing stomach. Everything was at peace.

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A/N:- Kinda weird I know. But oh well :D Hope you liked it, now review, lol.


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